Joanna Newsom
Joanna Caroline Newsom (born January 18, 1982)2 is an American harpist, keyboardist, vocalist, lyricist and actress. Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Style 4 Collaborations 5 Personal life 6 Discography 7 References 8 External links Early life Newsom was born and raised in the small town of Nevada City, California. Her mother, Christine (née Mueller), is an internist, and her father, William Newsom, is a medical oncologist.3 Her parents were "progressive-minded professionals" who previously lived in the San Francisco Bay Area.4 As a child, Newsom was not allowed to watch television or listen to the radio. She describes her parents as "kind of idealists when it came to hoping they could protect us from bad influences, like violent movies, or stupid stuff".5 She was exposed to music from a young age. Her father played the guitar and her mother was a classically trained pianist who played the hammered dulcimer, the autoharp and conga drums.67 Newsom attended a Waldorf school, where she studied theater and learned to memorize and recite long poems.8 At the age of five, Newsom asked her parents if she could learn to play the harp. Her parents eventually agreed to sign her up for harp lessons, but the local harp instructor did not want to take on such a young student and suggested she learn to play the piano first. She did, and later moved on to the harp which she "loved from the first lesson onward."9 She first played on smaller Celtic harps until her parents bought her a full-size pedal harp in the seventh grade.10 After high school, Newsom studied composition and creative writing at Mills College in Oakland, California. While at Mills, she played keyboards in The Pleased. She dropped out of school in order to focus on her music.5 Career In 2002 and 2003, Newsom recorded two EPs, Walnut Whales and Yarn and Glue. These homemade recordings were intended to serve as a document of her early work.11 These EPs were not intended for public distribution. At the suggestion of Noah Georgeson, her then-boyfriend and recording engineer of the EP, she burned several copies to sell at her early shows.11 Jon Fellman, co-producer of Mission Creek Music and Arts Festival, claims that Neil Martinson was the first to have booked a show for her at his club.12 A friend of Newsom's passed one of these CDs on to Will Oldham at a show in Nevada City. Oldham was impressed with Newsom's music and asked her to tour with him. He also gave a copy of the CD to the owner of Drag City, his record label. Drag City signed Newsom and released her debut album The Milk-Eyed Mender in 2004.13 Shortly thereafter, Newsom toured with Devendra Banhart and Vetiver and made an early UK appearance at the Green Man Festival in Wales, returning to headline in 2004, 2007 and 2010.14 Her second album Ys was released in November 2006. The album features orchestrations and arrangements by Van Dyke Parks, engineering from Steve Albini and mixing by Drag City label-mate Jim O'Rourke. On a road trip, Bill Callahan recommended she listen to the album Song Cycle by Parks, which led to his being chosen to arrange her work on Ys.1516 Joanna Newsom at the Sasquatch Music Festival, Washington in May 2005 Newsom is known to debut new work at her concerts. On March 28, 2009, she performed over two hours of new material at an unannounced concert in Big Sur, California with fellow Nevada City singer-lyricist Mariee Sioux under the pseudonym The Beatles's. Those in attendance reported that about one-third of her new material was played primarily on piano, with a backing arrangement of banjo, violin, guitar and drums.17 Since late 2006, Newsom has performed a solo harp version of the traditional Scottish song "Ca the Yowes Tae the Knowes".18 Several of the songs on The Milk-Eyed Mender have been covered by her peers. "Bridges and Balloons" was covered by The Decemberists on their 2005 EP Picaresqueties. "Sprout and the Bean" has been covered by The Moscow Coup Attempt and Sholi. "Peach, Plum, Pear" has been covered by Final Fantasy (Owen Pallett) on the 2006 EP Young Canadian Mothers, as well as by Straylight Run. M Ward has played "Sadie" at some of his live shows.19 In 2009, she appeared in the music video for the song "Kids" by the group MGMT.20 Newsom's work has become prominent on the independent music scene. Her profile has risen, in part, due to a number of live shows and appearances on television such as Jimmy Kimmel Live! on ABC. She has also modelled for Armani. The Milk-Eyed Mender and Ys, from 2007, sold 200,000 and 250,000 copies respectively.21 On January 12, 2010, an entry cryptically entitled "@!?*(%$#!!" was posted on the Drag City website. It contained a link which led to a short comic strip titled "Joanna Newsom 'Have One on Me'" with a date of February 23, 2010.22 Later that day, it was confirmed by Spunk, Newsom's Australian label, that the title and date represented the title of Newsom's upcoming album and its release date.23 P-Vine Records in Japan announced that Have One on Me, which was recorded in Tokyo in 2009, would be released in Japan on March 3, 2010, as a three-disc CD set, with a total of approximately three hours of new recordings.24 Newsom was chosen by Matt Groening to perform at the edition of the All Tomorrow's Parties festival he curated in May 2010 in Minehead, England. On February 11, 2010, Pitchfork Media reported that Newsom would be the subject of a tribute book titled Visions of Joanna Newsom which has now been published by Roan Press and features a contribution from the author Dave Eggers.25 She toured throughout Europe and America in 2010 to promote her latest record, supported by a five-piece band. In December 2010, a tribute album of Newsom covers was released as a digital download. Artists involved include M. Ward, Billy Bragg, Francesco Santocono, Guy Buttery and Owen Pallett, with all proceeds going to Oxfam America's Pakistan Flood Relief Efforts.26 On July 19, 2011, Newsom's second single, What We Have Known, was released on 12" vinyl. The single was originally the b-side to her first single, Sprout and the Bean.27 In June 2011, she filmed her second music video (for the song "Good Intentions Paving Company") with directors Karni & Saul.28 Newsom was also chosen by Jeff Mangum of Neutral Milk Hotel to perform at the All Tomorrow's Parties festival that he curated in March 2012 in Minehead, England.29 In late 2011, Newsom contributed vocals to "The Muppet Show Theme" for The Muppets30 and appeared on the cover of the 10th anniversary issue of Under the Radar with Robin Pecknold.31 Newsom began 2012 with television appearances on Austin City Limits (on January 21) and Portlandia (on February 7).3233 On June 25, 2012, Newsom performed at the Warfield Theatre in San Francisco with Philip Glass and Tim Fain as part of a benefit for the Henry Miller Memorial Library.34 She performed a new song at the concert tentatively titled "The Diver's Wife," a love story concerning pearl hunting,35 which would eventually become the title track from her next album, Divers. On October 14, she performed another new song tentatively called "Look and Despair" at the Treasure Island Festival, which was renamed "Sapokanikan" and released as the lead single from Divers.36 Newsom appeared on a track titled "Kindness be Conceived" on Thao and the Get Down Stay Down's album We The Common, released in February 2013.37 In March 2013, Newsom contributed to the song "The Man Who Ran the Town" from the album Why Do Birds Suddenly Appear by British skinhead band Hard Skin.38 Also in March 2013, Newsom participated in a short film for Melissa Coker's Wren clothing line. In the film, Newsom wears Wren clothing and performs a cover of Sandy Denny's "The North Star Grassman and the Ravens".39 She appeared in, and narrated, the 2014 film Inherent Vice.40 Divers, her fourth solo record, was released on October 23, 2015.41 On December 8, 2015, Newsom performed "Leaving the City" on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.42 Style Newsom's early work was strongly influenced by polyrhythms.43 After Ys, Newsom said she had lost interest in polyrhythms. They "stopped being fascinating to me and started feeling wanky."44 The media have sometimes labeled her as one of the most prominent members of the modern psych folk movement. Newsom, however, claims no ties to any particular music scene.45 Her song-writing incorporates elements of Appalachian music46 and avant-garde modernism.47 Newsom's vocal style (in the November 2006 issue of The Wire, she described her voice as "untrainable") has shadings of folk and Appalachian shaped-note timbres. Newsom has, however, expressed disappointment at comments that her singing is "child-like."45 Critics noticed a change in Newsom's voice on her album Have One on Me.4849 In the spring of 2009, Newsom developed vocal cord nodules and could not speak or sing for two months. The recovery from the nodules and further "vocal modifications" changed her voice.505152 Collaborations In addition to her solo work, Newsom has played on records by Smog, Vetiver, Nervous Cop, The Year Zero, Vashti Bunyan, Moore Brothers, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Golden Shoulders, The Roots,53 and Thao & The Get Down Stay Down, and played keyboards for The Pleased. She provided additional vocals for The Lonely Island's songs "Ras Trent" and "We Are a Crowd." Personal life After five years of dating, Newsom's engagement to actor and comedian Andy Samberg was confirmed by his representative in February 2013.5455 They married on September 21, 2013 in Big Sur, California.56 In March 2014 Newsom and Samberg purchased the estate Moorcrest in Beachwood Canyon, Los Angeles, which in the 1920s was owned by the parents of actress Mary Astor, and prior to that was rented by Charlie Chaplin.57 Her second cousin, twice removed, is Gavin Newsom, incumbent Lieutenant Governor of California.58 Discography Main article: Joanna Newsom discography AlbumsThe Milk-Eyed Mender (2004, Drag City) Ys (2006, Drag City) US #134, UK #41 Have One on Me (2010, Drag City)59 US #75, UK #28 Divers (2015, Drag City) US #30, UK #10 Early recordingsWalnut Whales (2002, self-released) Yarn and Glue (2003, self-released) EPsJoanna Newsom and the Ys Street Band (2007, Drag City) UK #13560 Singles"Sprout and the Bean" (2004, Drag City) "What We Have Known" (2011, Drag City) References 1.Jump up ^ "Andy Samberg, Joanna Newsom Wedding Details Revealed". Huffington Post. Retrieved March 10, 2015. 2.Jump up ^ 2013 Pitchfork Music Festival – .... 93 XRT/CBS Local. Retrieved on 2014-01-07. 3.Jump up ^ "Dr. William Newsom retires". The Union. 4.Jump up ^ Rosen, Jody (March 7, 2010). "Joanna Newsom, the Changeling". The New York Times. 5.^ Jump up to: a b Heawood, Sophie (February 20, 2010). "The conversation: Joanna Newsom". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 2010-12-30. 6.Jump up ^ "First interview, May 2003". The Portable Infinite. Retrieved 2010-11-07. 7.Jump up ^ "The Wire interview". The Wire. December 23, 2004. Archived from the original on December 23, 2004. Retrieved 2010-11-07. 8.Jump up ^ Zine, Venus (December 1, 2006). "Venus Zine interview, December 2006". Venuszine.com. Retrieved 2010-11-07. 9.Jump up ^ "Chickfactor interview, circa 2005". Chickfactor.com. Retrieved 2010-11-07. 10.Jump up ^ Joanna Newsom: Don’t Call Her A Prodigy. Or Maybe Do., West Coast Performer, September 2003 11.^ Jump up to: a b "Under the Radar". Web.archive.org. October 13, 2007. Archived from the original on October 13, 2007. Retrieved 2010-11-07. 12.Jump up ^ Harmanci, Reyhan. "Playing By The Bookings". San Francisco Chronicle. May 29, 2005 13.Jump up ^ The Wire, 2004 14.Jump up ^ "Joanna Newsom – Green Man Festival". greenman.net. Retrieved September 29, 2014. 15.Jump up ^ Davis, Erik (2006). ""Nearer the Heart of Things": Erik Davis profiles JOANNA NEWSOM". Arthur (25). Retrieved September 29, 2014. 16.Jump up ^ Pearse, Emma. "The Mysterious Diva of Folk Music". nymag.com. Retrieved September 29, 2014. 17.Jump up ^ Woolf, Devin (March 31, 2009). "Joanna Newsom Debuts New Record at Surprise Fernwood Show in Big Sur". Naturalismo. 18.Jump up ^ Sauma, Luiza (January 23, 2007). "Joanna Newsom, Barbican, London – Reviews, Music". The Independent. Retrieved 2009-10-09. 19.Jump up ^ "M. Ward – "Sadie" live". YouTube. September 7, 2006. Retrieved 2010-11-07. 20.Jump up ^ Daniel Kreps. "MGMT Cast Joanna Newsom, Kid, Monsters in "Kids" Video : Rolling Stone : Rock and Roll Daily". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2009-10-09. 21.Jump up ^ Rosen, Jody (March 7, 2010). "Joanna Newsom, The Changeling". Article (The New York Times). Retrieved October 5, 2012. 22.Jump up ^ "@!?*(%$#!!". Dragcity.com. January 12, 2010. Retrieved 2010-11-07. 23.Jump up ^ Joanna Newsom Have One on Me Out February 19link 24.Jump up ^ "Joanna Newsom: Feb 8, 2010, Scott Hall, Waseda". Metropolis Magazine. February 9, 2010. Retrieved 2010-02-09. 25.Jump up ^ "Joanna Newsom Gets Her Own Scholarly Tribute Book". Pitchfork. February 11, 2010. Retrieved 2010-11-07. 26.Jump up ^ Versions of Joanna 27.Jump up ^ "Joanna Newsom – What We Have Known – Drag City". dragcity.com. 28.Jump up ^ "Photos From Joanna Newsom's "Good Intentions Paving Company" Video Shoot – Stereogum". Stereogum. 29.Jump up ^ ATP curated by Jeff Mangum 30.Jump up ^ "Hear Joanna Newsom & Feist's Muppets Soundtrack Songs – Stereogum". Stereogum. 31.Jump up ^ "Issues – Under the Radar – Music Magazine". undertheradarmag.com. 32.Jump up ^ Joanna Newsom and Fleet Foxes on Austin City Limits Tonight 33.Jump up ^ "Portlandia – Joanna Newsom comes to "Portlandia" – IFC". ifc.com. 34.Jump up ^ "Joanna Newsom and Philip Glass to Collaborate". Pitchfork. 35.Jump up ^ "Joanna Newsom – "The Diver's Wife" (Live in San Francisco) – Stereogum". Stereogum. 36.Jump up ^ "new joanna newsom: "look and despair"". YouTube. 37.Jump up ^ "Thao & The Get Down Stay Down – "Holy Roller"". Stereogum. October 25, 2012. 38.Jump up ^ "Why Do Birds Suddenly Appear". iTunes. March 2013. 39.Jump up ^ "Listen to Joanna Newsom's cover of Sandy Denny's "The North Star Grassman and the Ravens"". Consequence of Sound. March 14, 2013. 40.Jump up ^ "Joanna Newsom to Appear in Paul Thomas Anderson Film Inherent Vice". Retrieved October 3, 2014. 41.Jump up ^ "Joanna Newsom Announces New Album Divers, Shares "Sapokanikan" Video". Retrieved August 10, 2015. 42.Jump up ^ "December 8, 2015 – Marion Cotillard, George Saunders, Joanna Newsom". Colbert News Hub. Retrieved 2015-12-09. 43.Jump up ^ "NEARER THE HEART OF THINGS: Erik Davis on Joanna Newsom (Arthur Magazine)". Arthurmag.com. December 23, 2006. Retrieved 2010-11-07. 44.Jump up ^ Randall Roberts (November 7, 2007). "Mending the Gap". LA Weekly. Retrieved 2010-11-07. 45.^ Jump up to: a b Rebecca Milzoff (May 2005). "Q&A With Joanna Newsom". New York Magazine. 46.Jump up ^ Pareles, Jon (February 2, 2008). "Ethereal Songs Made More Expansive With an Orchestra's Multitude of Colors". The New York Times. Retrieved September 29, 2014. 47.Jump up ^ "Joanna Newsom". austintheatre.org. Retrieved September 29, 2014. 48.Jump up ^ "Joanna Newsom Have One on Me – Review of Joanna Newsom's Triple Album Have One on Me". Altmusic.about.com. February 23, 2010. Retrieved 2010-11-07. 49.Jump up ^ "Music – Review of Joanna Newsom – Have One on Me". BBC. Retrieved 2010-11-07. 50.Jump up ^ Heawood, Sophie (February 20, 2010). "The conversation Joanna Newsom". The Times (London). Retrieved May 6, 2010. (subscription required) 51.Jump up ^ "Joanna Newsom – Have One on Me (Review)". Look Listen Play. Archived from the original on February 28, 2010. Retrieved 2010-11-07. 52.Jump up ^ Newsom, Joanna (February 23, 2010). "First Listen: Joanna Newsom". NPR. Retrieved 2010-11-07. 53.Jump up ^ Vozick, Simon (April 22, 2010). "The Roots enlist Joanna Newsom, John Legend, Jim James for new album | EW.com". Music-mix.ew.com. Retrieved 2010-11-07. 54.Jump up ^ "How Andy Samberg Fell for Joanna Newsom,". Us Weekly. July 19, 2012. Retrieved 2012-09-14. 55.Jump up ^ "Andy Samberg Engaged to Joanna Newsom!". Us Weekly. February 25, 2011. Retrieved February 25, 2011. 56.Jump up ^ Webber, Stephanie (September 21, 2013). "Saturday Night Live Star Andy Samberg Marries Singer Joanna Newsom – All the Details!". Us Weekly. Retrieved September 21, 2013. 57.Jump up ^ Barragan, Bianca (July 16, 2014). "Andy Samberg and Joanna Newsom Buy the Famous Moorcrest". Curbed LA. Retrieved 2014-07-20. 58.Jump up ^ LLC, SPIN Media (June 1, 2004). SPIN. SPIN Media LLC. 59.Jump up ^ 60.Jump up ^ Zobbel (January 25, 2008). "Chart Log UK 2007". Zobbel. Retrieved 2008-09-24. External links Wikiquote has quotations related to: Joanna Newsom Wikimedia Commons has media related to Joanna Newsom. Joanna Newsom at Drag City.com Joanna Newsom at the Internet Movie Database Category:Living people Category:1982 births Category:21st-century American actresses Category:21st-century American musicians Category:Actresses from California Category:American female singer-songwriters Category:American folk singers Category:American film actresses Category:American harpists Category:American pianists Category:American television actresses Category:Drag City (record label) artists Category:Freak folk Category:Mills College alumni Category:Singers from California Category:New Weird America Category:People from Nevada City, California Category:Psychedelic folk musicians Category:Waldorf school alumni